Rule Number One
by SouthernChickie
Summary: Sequel to 'Hidden Secrets'. When Mac and Tessa find Richie in bed with a girl, they open a closed chapter in Richie's life. Now complete!
1. Rylan

Disclaimers: They all belong to somebody, but not me.  
  
Author's Note: This follows 'Hidden Secrets'. It can make since if you don't read it, but it might make more if you do.  
  
"Sorry to bother you." Richie said quickly as a large, angry man slammed the door in his face. 'Rylan wouldn't be here unless she had to.' He decided. And at two o'clock in the afternoon, she didn't.  
  
He took a deep breath of simi-fresh city air as he stepped outside the building and tried to decide where Rylan would be. It had been four months since he had seen her, but she was as habit oriented as he was so tracking her down wouldn't be too hard. Five blocks later. . . Richie left the pool hall a little less enthusiastic than when he had entered; nobody had heard from her in weeks.  
  
'Maybe she decided to try and skip town again.' He thought. 'No,' he quickly decided 'she would have told me.'  
  
She was after all his best friend, and had been for the past twelve years. But then again, he had been pretty unavailable for the past couple of months. Getting used to his new living arrangements was taking time. And he had been having trouble with the idea of having to keep secrets from her. For twelve years she had been the one person who knew everything about him, they had been practically inseparable. And now he had no idea where to find her. Finally he decided to give up and headed home. Richie turned the corner and stopped. He could hear yelling coming from an alley. He approached the voices and peeked around the corner. Two boys about his age had trapped a girl and where demanding her wallet.  
  
"Not gonna happen." She spat before slamming her fist into one of their stomachs.  
  
Richie raised his eyebrows; he knew that voice. It belonged to the only person he knew that could successfully execute the kick-boxing move that slammed the second boy across the narrow alley and into the wall. He couldn't help grinning as he watched Rylan easily outmatch the first boy and pin him to the ground.  
  
"How many people have you hit today?" she asked. The boy didn't answer. "Then let's just see, shall we?" She searched his pockets and produced several wads of crumpled bills. "Nice hall." She commented shoving the money into her own pocket.  
  
The second boy had regained his composure and was about to get Rylan from behind when Richie lightly put his hand on his shoulder.  
  
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He said softly, his voice coming out deeper than he had intended. "I'd just hand over your money and run." The boy did as he was told and didn't wait for his friend before making his exit.  
  
"You should probably join him before you piss your pants." Rylan said picking he boy up by the back of his shirt. She brushed the dirt off her jeans and picked up her bag before turning to Richie. "You still got it, Ryan." She said approvingly.  
  
"Hard to lose it." He shrugged. "It's great to see you." He added pulling her in for a hug.  
  
"You too, man. How's life with the other half?" she asked pulling away.  
  
"You mean Mac and Tessa? Fine, a little ackward, but we're getting over it. Here you can have this." He handed over the money he had confiscated from the would-be mugger.  
  
"Oh, too good for a little dirty money, are we?" she asked counting the bills. "There's $91 here and you're entitled to half, you know."  
  
"Nah, keep it."  
  
"Okay." She pocketed the cash.  
  
"So, what have you been up to? I take it New York didn't go as planned." He asked putting an arm around her and leading her down the street.  
  
"Nope. Never even got out of town. I don't know what Powell's fixation is on me, but I wish he would give it a rest. All I want to do is just get the hell out of Washington."  
  
"Hey, give the guy a break, he needs somebody to blame everything on. And if he can't get me, you're the next best thing." Richie smiled.  
  
"Gee thanks, I've always wanted to be somebody's plan 'b'."  
  
"Give yourself two years, and then Powell can't touch you. Are you hungry?"  
  
"Always. But I'm anxious. There's no way I can get published around here. I mean, what am I going to say. 'Hi I'm Rylan Fisher. When I was seven I saw two men going at it with swords and wrote a series of stories about it. By the way, instead of a file I have my own damn drawer down at police HQ. They love me down there.' Where are we going?"  
  
"May place, it's just around the corner. Something tells me that's not how the meeting would go. How are the stories coming?"  
  
"Since when do you care? You always thought I just made the whole thing up."  
  
"I changed my mind. Here we are." He opened the door.  
  
"Holy crap, this is it?" She stopped and stared at the artifacts on display in the antique store.  
  
"Well, we live upstairs, but yeah this is it."  
  
"From the projects to the Hights nice move." She said following him up the stairs.  
  
"I like it." He shrugged peering into the refrigerator. "Huh, I thought we had more food. You want to order a pizza?"  
  
"Sure, so how you been? I haven't seen you in forever, man."  
  
"Eh, I've been busy. Usual?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
  
  
Twenty Minutes Later . . .  
  
"So what are these people like?" Rylan asked through a mouthful of pizza.  
  
"They're pretty, well they're great really. I really like them. And I have to admit; it's nice to have them around. Although it's a little weird, you know?"  
  
"It's taking some getting used to?"  
  
"Exactly, I haven't felt this way about anybody since. . . "  
  
"Emily?" She supplied.  
  
"Yeah." He looked down.  
  
"So . . . this is some set up you got here." Rylan said changing the subject.  
  
"Yeah, I like it."  
  
"Okay, been there done that. We need a new topic."  
  
"How about you? You tend to be an interesting topic."  
  
"Okay shoot."  
  
"Um. . . written any good stories lately?" He asked with a boyish grin.  
  
. . . . . .  
  
"Okay Mac." Richie laughed. "Tell Tessa I heard that and I'm fine. . . Okay. . . I'll see you tomorrow." Richie hung up the phone and turned to Rylan.  
  
"Apparently there's a big storm in Seattle and it's headed this way so Mac and Tessa are staying the night. And maybe you should too." He added looking out the window. "It's getting pretty nasty out there."  
  
"Or I could just make a run for it." She offered a split second before there was a loud clap of thunder and the lights flickered.  
  
"Not a chance. You're here tonight. It'll be just like old times." He grinned at her. Slowly she returned the smile.  
  
"Are you sure it's okay?"  
  
Richie shrugged. "I don't see why not. Is there someone you need to call? Probation officer maybe?"  
  
. . . . . .  
  
Richie rolled over and put his arm around Rylan. He could feel he blankets over him, but for some reason he was suddenly cold. Apparently she was too, because she snuggled her back against his chest and murmured softly. He breathed in her sent and smiled. Apples, just like he had expected. Somehow she always smelled like apples, even when she had showered and put on his clothes she smelled like apples. He gave her a little squeeze and wiggled them both further under the covers. Suddenly a piercing and persistent beep filled the silence. Both teens made small sleepy protesting noises and buried their heads under the blanket.  
  
"Are you going to turn it off?" Rylan's voice was muffled by the covers.  
  
"You're the one who set it." Richie protested.  
  
"It's your clock."  
  
"You do it."  
  
"You're closer."  
  
"Am not, I'm just as close as you are."  
  
"Your arms are longer."  
  
"Umph." Richie replied.  
  
"I'll get it."  
  
"Thanks Mac." Richie mumbled. "Mac?!" he sat up and looked into the angry brown eyes that were glaring down at him.  
  
"I thought you said they weren't coming back until tomorrow." Rylan squeeked.  
  
"It is tomorrow." Tessa answered from the doorway.  
  
"Richie, we need to talk. Now." Duncan said evenly grabbing him by the arm. Richie looked down as he, clad only in his boxers, was dragged past Tessa and out of his room. Rylan blushed and got out of bed wearing Richie's sweatpants and T-shirt.  
  
"If that's Mac, I guess that makes you Tessa." She said offering a weak grin.  
  
"And who does that make you?" She asked.  
  
"Oh, um, I'm Rylan Fisher."  
  
"Well, Rylan, would you like to tell me what happened in my house while I was gone?" 


	2. Confessions and Concerns

"Mac, I can explain. Whatever you're thinking it didn't happen." Richie started.  
  
"What am I supposed to think? I'm gone for one night and come home to find an eighteen year old boy in bed with a girl who looks like she isn't even old enough to drive yet!" Duncan roared with such force that Richie's knees gave way and he flopped rather ungracefully onto the couch.  
  
"She's sixteen, and I didn't say what you're thinking wasn't justified, after all you still don't really know me and you don't know her. What I said was it didn't happen." He explained once he found his voice.  
  
"Then enlighten me, what did happen?" Duncan shouted.  
  
"We ordered a pizza, then you called, the storm hit here, I told her to stay, she kicked my butt at poker, then we showered. . . separately. . . talked and fell asleep. The next thing I know I'm freezing my ass off and getting yelled at!" Richie shouted back.  
  
"So nothing happened?" His voice became eerily calm.  
  
"Nothing happened." Richie repeated. "So do you mind if I go rescue Rylan? I've been on the receiving end of Tessa's anger and it's not pretty."  
  
"Rylan?" Duncan repeated confused by the sudden change of subject.  
  
"Yeah, Rylan. The girl you were yelling at me about."  
  
"She a friend?"  
  
"Best friend. Since we were little."  
  
"Best friend, huh? How come you never mentioned her before?"  
  
"Because I knew if I told you about her, you'd want to meet her."  
  
"And? I'm going to meet her now."  
  
"Now I know I can talk to her without divulging a certain secret. One which I'm sure she would love to know."  
  
"Oh really?" Duncan raised his eyebrows.  
  
"When she was little she saw two guys fighting with swords. To me it was just was just some story she used to tell. Until a couple months ago." Richie said quietly. "She saw it and nobody believed her, but now I can finally explain to her what she saw."  
  
"You can't tell her, Richie." Duncan warned.  
  
"I know. I made it all up. That was the deal wasn't it?"  
  
. . . . . .  
  
Richie paused in the doorway. Rylan's face was a mixture of fear and bewilderment as she stared up at Tessa. Richie sat down next to Rylan and listened to Tessa ramble. Finally she stopped and looked directly at the teens.  
  
"Am I right?" She asked.  
  
"Um, oui?" Richie answered with a shy smile.  
  
"I'm not sure." Rylan said. "I think I might have heard 'Richie' in there a couple times, but I don't speak French."  
  
"French? Was a speaking French?" Tessa asked looking back and fourth between them.  
  
"Almost since the beginning."  
  
"Why didn't you stop me?"  
  
"Have you ever seen yourself when you're mad? Even Mac avoids you." Richie interjected. "And I'm pretty sure it wasn't warranted." He added. "Because if you were talking about what Mac was going to talk about, you just wasted your time. Nothing happened."  
  
. . . . . .  
  
"So can we try this again?" A now fully clothed Richie asked entering the kitchen followed by a suddenly shy Rylan. "Duncan MacLeod, Tessa Noel, this is Rylan Fisher. Rylan, this is Mac and Tessa, they own the joint." He introduced.  
  
"It's nice to meet you, Rylan." Duncan said shaking her hand. She smiled sweetly but said nothing. He smiled back causing the heat to rise in her cheeks. "We were about to make breakfast, would you like to join us?"  
  
"Um, no. I better get going. But thanks anyway." She said.  
  
"Well, maybe some other time."  
  
"You never know." She replied looking between the floor and his face.  
  
"I'll walk you out." Richie said leading the way. "Somebody's in luv." He cooed in her ear.  
  
"Yeah, well he's hot. So bite me." She returned. "Am I that obvious?"  
  
"You only get that goofy look on your face for one reason."  
  
"Great." She laughed.  
  
"Hey, look before you go. Are you okay?" He asked.  
  
"A little embarrassed." She shrugged.  
  
"I'm serious. You know what I'm talking about." He pushed back the sleeve of her shirt revealing four thin bruises braceleting her forearm. "Well?" He asked expectantly.  
  
"I'm fine. I can handle it." She pushed her sleeve back down.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah, Rich. It's not like this is the first time. I know the dos and don'ts. For instance, I have to go. Now."  
  
"Ry, if you ever need to get away. You know where I am. Don't tough it out, just get over here okay?"  
  
"Okay." She sighed rolling her eyes.  
  
He took her by the shoulders. "Rylan!"  
  
"I promise!"  
  
"Okay." He let her go. "I'll see you later?"  
  
"With that guy upstairs? Damn straight you will." She winked and jogged away.  
  
. . . . . .  
  
"So she knows about immortals?" Tessa asked handing Richie a dish to dry.  
  
"She doesn't know what she saw. By now she probably doesn't know if she really saw it or not. I didn't even believe her, and she's never lied to me." Richie hoped his statement was true about their conversation in the alley just an hour before.  
  
"Does she still remember?"  
  
"She writes about it. She's got a whole series that she wants to get published. She thinks she made up this whole back-story, but I think she heard them talking. Either that or she's really immortal and doesn't know it yet."  
  
"So what are you going to do?"  
  
"I don't know. I can't tell her, Mac made that pretty clear."  
  
"Do you want to?"  
  
"You have no idea. This is killing me. I avoided her for four months because of this. Even if she can't prove to anyone else that she's not crazy, at least she would know." Richie sighed. 'And I know she can keep a secret.' He added to himself.  
  
. . . . . .  
  
"How's Rylan doing?" Duncan asked over dinner. "She hasn't been around since that morning. I hope we didn't scare her too badly." Richie didn't answer, just continued to pick at the chicken on his plate. "Is everything okay?" Still no response. Duncan reached out and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Richie?"  
  
Richie's head snapped up. "Sorry, what?"  
  
"You've been very quiet lately. Is anything wrong?"  
  
"Nope, everything's fine." Richie said with a forced smile.  
  
"Are you sure? You have been really quiet." Tessa said.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure. Am I not allowed to be quiet or something? Everything's fine!" Richie snapped getting up.  
  
"Where are you going?" Duncan asked.  
  
"Out!" Richie yelled, grabbing his jacket.  
  
Tessa looked at Duncan. "What is his problem? He's been so short tempered lately. I know teenagers are supposed to be moody, but this is ridiculous!"  
  
. . . . . .  
  
Richie took off his helmet and looked out over the water. He felt a little stupid having stormed out like he did. The truth was he was worried about Rylan, he hadn't seen her in almost a week. That wasn't like her at all. She would let him disappear and have his space for as long as he needed, but once he came back they would go back to being together all the time. This wasn't like her at all; something had to be wrong. Richie had the sinking feeling that his visit to her current foster home had something to do with it, and another visit would just make it worse. There was no way to get a hold of her, nobody he asked had seen her, and he knew she was in trouble. 


	3. Conformaition

Disclaimer: Richie's first song is Jo Dee Messina's 'Even God Must Get the Blues' and the second is Shania Twain's 'Black Eyes, Blue Tears'. I don't know who actually wrote these songs, but it wasn't me.  
  
  
  
"Where is he?" Tessa mumbled looking out the window. The storm two weeks ago had been the first in a long string of winter storms. "Duncan, I'm worried. He's been doing this a lot. Something must be wrong."  
  
"I know." He agreed putting his arms around her. "And I'm worried too."  
  
"I wish he would just tell us. It's driving me crazy."  
  
"If he won't tell us, I know one way we can find out." Duncan said letting go of her and making his way into Richie's room. He searched for a moment and found what he was looking for lying next to the guitar they had gotten Richie for Christmas. "He may be too macho for a diary, but this is the next best thing." He announced re-entering the living room. Together he and Tessa read the latest entry in Richie's song journal.  
  
'Pick up any morning paper Turn on the six o'clock news The devil's been so busy lately That even God must get the blues  
  
A young man lies there in the street His life gone like it was nothing to lose And for the shoes that were on his feet Yes even God must get the blues  
  
When this rain falls down from heaven It must be the angels crying For all the sorrow in the world tonight  
  
A young girl hides her face in shame So they can't see its been battered and bruised Like she's the one to blame Yes even God must get the blues  
  
Pick up any evening paper Turn on the ten o'clock news The devil's been so busy lately That even God must get the blues'  
  
"What does it mean?" Tessa asked.  
  
"Look at the date," Duncan said pointing at the top left corner. "Who showed up the day before? What's the one thing different today then two weeks ago? Whatever's wrong with Richie. . . "  
  
"Has something to do with Rylan." Tessa finished.  
  
"What about Rylan?" Richie asked from the top of the stairs wet from his ride.  
  
"We were just talking." Duncan shrugged.  
  
"About Rylan?"  
  
"She ended up working her way in."  
  
"And I see I may have inadvertently started this conversation." Richie gestured to his notebook lying open on the coffee table.  
  
"Inadvertently?" Duncan repeated with raised eyebrows.  
  
"You could have just asked." Richie said calmly picking up his notebook and ignoring Duncan's surprise at his vocabulary. He turned and started toward his room. "Well?" He stopped in the hallway.  
  
"Well what?" Tessa asked.  
  
"Aren't you going to try to stop me? Ask a few questions, maybe?"  
  
"You told us to stop asking questions. We have a deal, remember? If it's important you'll tell us." Duncan said.  
  
"Oh, right." Richie turned and disappeared into his room. "That didn't seem to mean anything when you searched my room." He grumbled sitting down on the edge of his bed. "Damn it, Ry! Why do you have to be so stubborn?" He asked the empty room.  
  
Half of him wanted to blurt it all out; to tell them everything; to send Duncan out to bring Rylan back. . . but the other half reminded him of what would happen if he did. He lightly traced the scar just below the waistline of his jeans. He compromised with himself and set a dead line, if he didn't hear about or from Rylan by six o'clock Sunday night he would tell.  
  
. . . . .  
  
Richie drummed his pen on his spiral.  
  
'Black eyes I don't need them Blue tears give me freedom  
  
Positively never going back I won't live where things are so out of whack No more rolling with the punches No more using or abusing  
  
I'd rather die standing Then live on my knees Begging please no more  
  
Black eyes I don't need them Blue tears give me freedom Black eyes all behind me Blue tears will never find me now'  
  
He read to himself. It had taken him all of five minutes to write that much, but he had drained his creativity. Nothing was helping him finish the song, not even the rain.  
  
'A five minute burst of lyrics, followed by a twenty minute staring contest with the clock. My Sunday night in a nut shell.' Richie thought. He looked back at the clock letting his eyes blur out of focus.  
  
"Bet you five dollars that it will change to six o'clock within the next sixty seconds." Richie jumped and looked behind him at Duncan.  
  
"Even I'm not dumb enough to take that bet." He replied turning back around to stare at the clock.  
  
"You've been very thoughtful the past couple of weeks." Duncan said sitting on the coffee table in front of Richie.  
  
"That came out of nowhere." He said closing his notebook.  
  
"Just an observation."  
  
"An observation being used to start a heart-warming gut-spilling conversation, perhaps?" Richie ventured.  
  
"Perhaps." There was a long pause as the two exchanged stares.  
  
"Is this where I'm supposed to say 'Gee, Mac, you're right. I've had a lot on my mind lately. Let me tell you about it.'?"  
  
"Maybe if we lived in a badly written 50's sitcom. But seriously, is there anything you want to tell me? Anything you just want to get off your chest?" Richie started debating with himself again. He had reached his deadline, but couldn't bring himself to say anything. "Well?" Duncan prompted.  
  
Richie's conscience lost to his fears and he smiled at Duncan. "I'm being thoughtful, hang on." He sat quietly gathering his thoughts and preparing to pretend to be his usual self. "Well, the weather has been driving me insane, I'm getting cabin fever, and I have the over-whelming urge to bake."  
  
Duncan smiled, not fooled by Richie's act, but willing to play along. "Bake, huh? Do you even know how?"  
  
"Yes." The boy replied seriously.  
  
"Since when?"  
  
"Since I was little. Back when my motto was 'I'll try anything once'. I tried and got hooked." He shrugged.  
  
"How about a haircut? You ever tried that?" Duncan asked ruffling Richie's mop of curls. Richie pulled away with a grin.  
  
"This from a guy in a ponytail." They both turned as Tessa's voice floated up the stairs.  
  
"Look who I found." She said walking through the door.  
  
"Thought I'd barge in." Rylan said with a smile.  
  
"What happened to you?" Duncan laughed looking her up and down.  
  
"I got caught in the storm and saw the cars, so I hoped I could chill here for a while."  
  
"Why don't you chill in some dry clothes. You look like a drowned rat." Richie answered taking her by the hand and leading her to his room. "You didn't get caught in the storm." He said as calmly as he could after he closed the door.  
  
"Why would I say that if I didn't?" She asked innocently.  
  
"Ry, don't lie to me. It's been raining since three o'clock. It doesn't take three hours to get anywhere in this city." He rummaged through his drawers. "Are you okay?" He asked handing her his smallest clothes.  
  
She stared him in the eye for a second before she answered. "I've been better." She said heading for the bathroom.  
  
"No way, Ry. You're changing here. I want to see." Richie said grabbing her by the arm.  
  
"Ow!" she yelped slapping his hand away.  
  
"Let me see, now." He demanded. Begrudgingly and carefully she took off her jacket, then shirt. "Oh, Ry." Was all he could say. The bruises he had seen before where at the pale yellow phase of healing, but you could barely see them under the fresh ones that were still forming. She winced when he barely touched her small bicep. It was already a very painful dark purple. "What happened?"  
  
"I might have slammed it in the door on my way out." She said softly. Richie walked behind her and looked at her back. The entire area between her shoulders was a soft gray, and the small of her back was striped with light purple.  
  
"Rylan, this is bad."  
  
"I'm clumsy." She said in a carefully rehearsed tone.  
  
"I've known you for twelve years, not once have you run into a wall or door by yourself." Richie said. "Get dressed, we're telling Mac."  
  
"Richie, no."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You said that if I needed to get away I could come here. Is the offer still good or do I need to go somewhere else?"  
  
Richie closed his eyes and sighed. "It's still good."  
  
"Okay then." She finished changing. There was a knock at the door.  
  
"Come in." Richie said.  
  
"Hey, I thought Rylan might want to put her hair up." Tessa explained stepping in.  
  
"Oh, yeah. That'd be great." Rylan said accepting the hair band Tessa offered. "Brush?"  
  
"Bathroom." Richie directed.  
  
"Oh, and you left this out." Tessa added handing Richie his spiral.  
  
"Funny, I remember closing this." He said pointedly.  
  
"I remember reading it." Tessa replied.  
  
"Reading what?" Rylan asked emerging from the bathroom.  
  
"His precious songs." Tessa said. "Duncan wanted to talk to you." She added. "He's downstairs in the office."  
  
"Um, okay." Rylan said glancing at Richie, who shrugged.  
  
"Down the stairs on the left." Tessa said shooing Rylan out the door. She turned back to Richie. "Do you care to explain?"  
  
. . . . . .  
  
Rylan knocked lightly on the door. "Come in." Duncan looked up as she entered. "Have a seat, I'll be done in a second. I got a little sidetracked." He turned back to the computer.  
  
She sat down in a chair in front of the desk and looked around. She could see why Richie had staked his place out. If he had gotten away with one thing, he would have been set for at least a year.  
  
"Sorry about that." Duncan said turning to face her.  
  
"I don't know anything about a pig, and I was nowhere near the boy's bathroom at the time." Rylan blurted.  
  
"Excuse me?" Duncan chuckled.  
  
Slowly she smiled. "It was a joke." She explained. "I feel like I've been called to the principal's office."  
  
"Oh." Duncan said nodding. "Was there really a pig in the bathroom?"  
  
"No. It was a turkey, in the library." She answered. "But I still had nothing to do with it."  
  
"Do I know who did?"  
  
"Maybe." She grinned.  
  
"Speaking of Richie." Duncan started. "He's been acting funny lately and I was wondering if you knew what was wrong."  
  
"I take it 'funny' doesn't have anything to do with his sense of humor?" Duncan shook his head. She thought for a moment. "What has he been doing?"  
  
"Disappearing for hours at a time with no explanation. He's really irritable and snappy. The smallest things set him off."  
  
"If some memory he's not particularly found of gets drudged up, he can get like that." She said making up the excuse as she went along. "It should pass in a couple days."  
  
"It's been going on for two weeks."  
  
"Oh," Rylan's palms began to sweat. "Then I don't know what's going on. Do you want me to talk to him?"  
  
"I figure he'll tell you before me." Duncan said getting up and gesturing her through the door in front of him. He noticed her flinch when he lightly guided her through by the small of her back. He cursed inwardly. He had hoped that 'divide and conquer' was going to work.  
  
'Maybe Tessa had better luck with Richie.' He thought. 'I don't think Rylan would like the other approach very much.' Together he and Rylan entered the apartment. Richie was sitting in the couch and Tessa was standing in front of him. By the look on Tessa's face he could tell that she had gotten information out of Richie. . . and what they had assumed was true. She quickly rushed to Rylan's side.  
  
"Are you okay?" She asked softly smoothing back a piece of hair that had strayed from Rylan's messy ponytail.  
  
"Yeah." She answered. "Why wouldn't I. . .Okay, what's going on here? What'd I miss?" She asked looking between Duncan and Tessa. Her innocent expression vanished as she realized what Tessa had been referring to. She turned and glared directly at who she felt was the source of her problem. "Richie?" 


	4. Confrontation

Author's note: I here by officially change the rating to PG-13 for slightly elusive sexual references. I might be able to get away with PG but, just to be on the safe side.  
  
  
  
"You told them?!" Rylan yelled crossing the floor to Richie.  
  
"Ry, I - -"  
  
"I can't believe you!"  
  
"I was just trying to help." He said trying unsuccessfully to calm her down.  
  
"Help? Help! If you wanted to help you would have kept your big mouth shut!"  
  
"Hey! I'm just looking out for you!" Richie tried to stay calm.  
  
"Whatever! I can't believe this! A couple moths in a new place and you've totally changed!"  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" He couldn't keep the angry edge out of his voice.  
  
"It's like you've completely forgotten what it's like out there!"  
  
"Out where?"  
  
"The real world, Richie! Not everyone gets to live with artists and antique dealers." She snapped gesturing to Duncan and Tessa standing in the doorway.  
  
"Hey! I saw my chance to get out and I grabbed it! What was I supposed to do?"  
  
"I don't blame you for getting out, man. Hell, I'd like to be here with you, but some of us aren't so lucky."  
  
"Lucky?"  
  
"Yeah, lucky. How many times can you break in somewhere and come out with a job? So, unless there's some other part of this little deal you three have going on here, you lucked out."  
  
Duncan couldn't remain quiet anymore. "Okay, time out. I can understand you're mad at Richie. I can even understand you being mad at us. But I do not appreciate what you're implying about me or Tessa."  
  
"Yeah, neither do I. Yell at me all you want, but leave them out of this." Richie said stepping closer to Rylan.  
  
"What am I supposed to think?" She challenged looking up at him. "Why else would he hand you the get out of jail free card?"  
  
"Maybe because he's a nice guy."  
  
"Oh yeah, that's it."  
  
"What did I just tell you, huh? Straiten up." Richie barked. "Not everybody is out to get you, you know. There are people in the world who just want to help. Like me, for example. Yeah, I told. But I held out. And after what I saw today, I'm thinking I shouldn't have." He took a deep breath. "Rylan, what if you had gotten hurt, really hurt, or worse? I saw that guy, he's big. You're lucky you got out with just bruises."  
  
Rylan's jaw dropped. "You saw him? You were there? Richie! How stupid can a guy get?" She shoved him away from her.  
  
"Hey, watch it! Don't go picking fights with me. You won't be able to handle it! So back off!" In one step he was an inch away from her. The two stood, fists clenched, glaring at eachother.  
  
"He's just doing what he thinks is right." Tessa said breaking the silence.  
  
"Well, it wasn't a very smart move." Rylan's eyes didn't leave Richie's.  
  
"You know what's not a smart move?" Duncan asked forcing her to turn and look at him. "Trying to handle this by yourself. Why didn't you go to the police?"  
  
"Oh, been there, done that, got the scars to prove it." Rylan said sandwiched between Duncan and Richie. "They're no help."  
  
"She's right, Mac. The cops don't do squat. They'd just send her back." Richie said putting a protective hand on her shoulder.  
  
"How do you know that, unless you try?" Duncan asked.  
  
"Because we have. That's what they do. They never believe us."  
  
"You mean this has happened before?"  
  
"Yeah." Richie answered.  
  
"You never told them?" Rylan asked softly, looking at him over her shoulder.  
  
"It never came up until now."  
  
"And it will come up again. But right now, Rylan and I are going on a little trip downtown." Duncan said taking her hand.  
  
"No." She protested.  
  
"Put on your shoes and meet me by the car." He instructed.  
  
"Ry, go." Richie said reassuringly turning her toward his room. He walked with Duncan out to the car. "Mac, be patient with her. I've been where she is and it's scary. It was hard enough for her to tell me, then I went and blabbed to you guys- -"  
  
"Richie, you did the right thing." Duncan interrupted.  
  
"I know, just take care of her. Don't let her end up back with that creep."  
  
"I won't, I promise. Now go back inside before you catch a cold." Richie turned toward the door. "And Rich,"  
  
"Yeah, Mac?"  
  
"We're going to have a talk when we get back."  
  
"As long as there is a 'we' coming back. I'll be ready."  
  
. . . . . .  
  
Tessa watched Richie. "Why are you cleaning?"  
  
"I can't sit still." He complained putting the broom away. "I hate waiting. All these worse case scenarios keep running through my head."  
  
"Are worried what the police are going to do?"  
  
"No. God, Tessa what would have happened to her if I had kept my promise?"  
  
"Don't worry about that, the important thing is you didn't. And now Duncan is helping."  
  
"Could you crawl into my head and convince me there? Just saying it is not helping."  
  
"Richie, sit down." Tessa said guiding him to the table. "Do you want something to drink?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll get it." He tried to go to the refrigerator.  
  
"No, I'll get it." She said turning him around and forcing him into a chair. "You sit and relax."  
  
"I can't." he moaned dropping his head onto the table.  
  
"Yes, you can." Tessa insisted putting a glass of water in front of him. He held it in his hands and stared at it. "Richie, talk to me. Tell me what's on your mind, it will make you feel better." She reached across the table and put her hand on his arm. He tried to pull away, but she wouldn't let him. "Richie, what ever you are feeling. . . you can't keep it in. Tell me, I want to help."  
  
"It's just. . ."  
  
"It's just what?"  
  
"I feel so guilty. Like I should have been there. I should have kept him away from her. I should have done, I don't know, something, anything. I shouldn't have left her."  
  
"Is that what this is about? You think you left her?"  
  
"No, yeah, I don't know. It's just, you heard what she said."  
  
"About you changing and not remembering?"  
  
"I do remember, though. That's why I changed. I knew what was going to happen to me if I kept up the way I was. What else was I supposed to do?"  
  
"Richie, I'm sure she didn't mean what she said. She felt threatened and lashed out. You just got in the way."  
  
"Boy did I."  
  
"You did the right thing. You accepted our help and got yourself out when you got the chance. And the only thing you did wrong as far as Rylan is concerned is not saying anything sooner."  
  
"I guess."  
  
"There is no guess about it. You should have told us the morning she admitted to you what was going on. You should have told us any one of the times we asked you what was wrong. You should have told us the other night when you almost did."  
  
"I should have, I should have, I should have. Damn it, Tessa, I know what I should have done! The point is I didn't!" Richie yelled standing up. "I'm the reason she's in the situation she's in now! I should have said something but I didn't! I didn't because I remember." He ranted.  
  
"What do you remember?"  
  
"I remember what happens when the police don't believe you. When they brush you off like you were just there to cause trouble. When they send you back." Tessa watched as he paced in front of her. "I remember what happened when they found out we tried to report them. I remember watching her, and I remember her watching me." His voice started shaking and he leaned against the wall.  
  
"What do you remember?" Tessa asked crossing the floor to him. "What happened?" He shook his head and slid down the wall. "Richie, tell me."  
  
"You don't want to know."  
  
"Yes. I do." She insisted crouching in front of him.  
  
"Trust me." He said taking a shaky breath.  
  
"Richie. Richie look at me." She cupped his chin in her hand. "Do I not want to know, or do you not want to tell?"  
  
His lower lip trembled slightly. "Both." He whispered.  
  
"Richie, what happened? Tell me, I want to know."  
  
"They, the cops, they didn't believe us the first time because we had not proof. The second time, they got their proof from a doctor."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"The only way we could prove anything was for Rylan to go to a gynecologist." He said slowly looking her in the eye.  
  
"Oh, my. . . Richie, how old were you?"  
  
"I was thirteen, she was eleven."  
  
"Who did that to you? What happened to them?"  
  
"Last I heard they were in jail."  
  
"Oh, Richie," She whispered reaching out to hold him. He leaned against her. "I can't believe that anybody could do that to a child. I so sorry you had to go through that."  
  
"I told you you didn't want to know." He mumbled into her shoulder.  
  
"That is why you didn't say anything, you were afraid it would happen again?"  
  
"Pretty stupid, huh?" He said looking up at her sheepishly.  
  
"There is nothing stupid about it." She assured him, wiping away a tear that was sliding down his cheek. "The difference is now you have me and Duncan on your side. Rylan will be okay. Duncan and I will not let it happen again." 


	5. Admitt

"Richie." Duncan said softly shaking the sleeping youth's shoulder.  
  
"Ugh." He moaned and opened his eyes. "Mac, you're back." He sat up on the couch.  
  
"Sorry to wake you, but somebody wants to talk to you."  
  
"Where's Rylan?" Richie asked once his brain cleared.  
  
"She's downstairs."  
  
  
  
Rylan looked up as Richie thundered down the stairs. She met him at the bottom and for a minute they just looked at each other.  
  
"Are you okay?" He finally asked softly smoothing back her hair.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just wanted to talk to you."  
  
"What's up?"  
  
Her eyes darted away from his. "I guess they didn't get the best impression of me, huh?" She asked casually looking up at the door.  
  
"Hey, they'll understand. Don't worry about it. Is that all you wanted to talk about?"  
  
"Well that, and I wanted to apologize."  
  
Richie made a face. "Apologize? For what?"  
  
"For the way I acted, what I said. I didn't mean it. I just. . . I was embarrassed and scared and I freaked out and said some pretty rude things that I shouldn't have said. And I'm sorry." She said as if she had rehearsed the apology in the car.  
  
"Don't worry about it, Ry. It's okay." He brushed his hand across her cheek as she began to cry.  
  
"No, it's not, Richie." She insisted. "I saw your face when I made that crack about Duncan and Tessa. That was low. I don't know why I acted the way I did, I just know I shouldn't have."  
  
"Hey, what'd I just tell you, huh? It's okay, don't worry about it." He whispered. He held her and rested his chin on top of her head as she cried. "Shh, Ry, come on." He soothed. "There's something more to this, isn't there?"  
  
"Does there always have to be something more?" She asked into his shoulder.  
  
"I'm the center of the universe here, you should know that by now." He held her at arm's length as he tried to lighten the mood. "If I say there's something more, there's something more, so spill."  
  
"I just. . . I guess I. . ." she fumbled over her words.  
  
"You just, you guess. . . try finishing a sentence for a change." He joked with a crocked grin.  
  
She looked up at him and smiled briefly. "I guess, I'm jealous." She said.  
  
"Of what?"  
  
"You."  
  
"Me?" Richie asked in confusion. "What do you have to be jealous of me for?"  
  
"Look around you, man. You have what I've been working for since I was nine: a great place to live, a family, people genuinely interested in you. . . I've been in your room, you have everything you need to start that band of yours. . .and it all fell into your lap." She sighed. "Angie always said you'd be the one to make it out. I just always thought I'd be there with you when you did."  
  
"Since when does Rylan Fisher give up?" He tilted her chin up so she was looking him in the eye. "Give yourself time. You're sixteen, you have your whole life ahead of you."  
  
"And what a life it's turning out to be." She crossed her arms and looked away.  
  
"Hey it's not all that bad. You got me, don't you? And I think you're stuck with Mac and Tessa, despite what you might think."  
  
"Oh, yeah?"  
  
"I can guarantee Tessa's crazy about you. We had a long talk while you guys were gone and there is no way she's letting you go anywhere."  
  
Rylan's eyes narrowed. "What did you guys talk about?"  
  
"Everything." He turned and headed back up stairs.  
  
"Woah, exactly what everything?" She demanded following him.  
  
"That made no sense." He laughed entering the living room.  
  
"It made perfect sense and you know it." She stopped behind him in the doorway. Duncan and Tessa stared at them with concerned expressions from the couch.  
  
"Anything else?" Duncan questioned.  
  
"Anything else, what?" Richie asked knowing Tessa had just filled Duncan in on what she had been told.  
  
"Anything else you would like to share?"  
  
"Nah, I'm good." He smiled.  
  
"Richie, how can joke about this?" Duncan got up and strode across the room.  
  
"I guess I'm just an immature, joke-about-anything-no-matter-how- inappropriate type of guy."  
  
"Richie!"  
  
"Hey, calm down. There are some situations where all you have is your sense of humor. This happens to be one of them."  
  
"Situations like what?" Rylan asked.  
  
Richie cleared his throat. "You know, um, situations. . .bad ones, really bad ones. Ones that happened about five years ago." He tried to explain. Rylan looked at him blankly.  
  
"Called it what is, Richie, rape." Duncan said angrily.  
  
Rylan's eyes grew wide. "Oh," she said softly "that's the everything you guys talked about."  
  
"You didn't have to put it like that, Mac." Richie mumbled.  
  
"That's what it is, isn't it?" Duncan spat glaring into Richie's eyes.  
  
"Well, yeah I guess, but geeze. . ." He blushed and broke the gaze. Duncan looked at Rylan who sighed heavily and looked away.  
  
"What is with you?" Duncan continued turning back to Richie. "How could you forget to mention something like that?"  
  
"I don't know." He replied almost inaudibly.  
  
"Well neither do I!" Duncan raged. "What about you?" He demanded of Rylan.  
  
Her eyes flashed with anger. "Me? What was I supposed to say. 'Hey nice to meet you. Don't worry I didn't sleep with Richie, not that I'm an actual virgin or anything. But as far as my decisions are concerned I am.' Come on! That's not something someone brings up to break the ice!" She shouted. "Besides, the ice was pretty damn shattered long before I said anything!"  
  
"Don't you use that tone of voice with me!" Duncan yelled.  
  
Rylan paused mouth open, confused by what this particle stranger had just yelled at her. "You started it!" She finally defended.  
  
"I did not!"  
  
"Yeah, you did!"  
  
"I'm not going to argue with a teenager!"  
  
"Then stop picking fights with them!" She spat crossing her arms. Richie couldn't help but smile inspite himself as Duncan stared at Rylan. "What's the matter? Can't think of anything to say? Oh, come on you don't want to lose a fight to a puny teenager do you?" She continued with a smirk. She leaned closer to him. "Do you want me to give you a minute to think?"  
  
"No I do not want you to give me a minute to think." He finally said.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"You're a very. . .You're a very lost child who compensates for her fear of abandonment by making sure she had no reason to ask anyone for help."  
  
"Well, Dr. MacLeod that's very profound. Is there anything else you've picked up by analyzing me?"  
  
"You have a fear of betrayal so you lash out when anyone does something that can put them in a position of control or anywhere closer then you want them to be."  
  
She raised her eyebrows and put her hands on her hips. "And where does your overwhelming need to be in charge come from?"  
  
"Okay, Ry, Mac, let's just chill for a minute shall we? I think both of you are stepping onto dangerous ground here." Richie said stepping between the two. "Why don't we talk, Mac? You and me, you ask the questions, I give the answers, huh? How's that sound? And if you still have the need to yell and lecture, hell you can do that too. What do you think?"  
  
"No, I want to talk to her." Duncan insisted.  
  
"Not now."  
  
"Oh, don't worry, Rich, it's fine. I'd like to see what he has to say." Rylan said over Richie's shoulder. "There's so much more I could learn about myself from him."  
  
"I agree with Richie." Tessa said. "Duncan, you are too worked up right now. You aren't thinking clearly. Why don't you and Richie go get us some dinner? Rylan and I will set everything up here."  
  
"That sounds like a great idea. How does Chinese sound to everyone?" Richie added pulling on Duncan's arm. "Come on, Mac. I'm driving."  
  
"Duncan go. She'll be here when you get back." Tessa prompted.  
  
"Not like I have a choice." Rylan mumbled.  
  
"What?" Richie asked. "Wait, never mind. You can explain it to me on the way, Mac." He gave another tug on Duncan's arm. "I'm starving here, let's go already." 


	6. Dessert

Richie looked out the window and watched the streets of Seacover rush by. He had ridden silently all the way across town to pick up food and now he was bored. He had half expected Duncan to scream at him the whole way, and the other half that was expecting the silence had hoped for screaming. The silence left Richie to wonder exactly what Duncan was thinking, and Richie didn't want to think about it. He reached up and turned the dial on the radio. He found a station and went back to staring out the window.  
  
"Richie?" Duncan said turning off the radio.  
  
"Yeah?" He asked happy the silence was over.  
  
"What happened back there?"  
  
"You mean the argument with Rylan?"  
  
"And you, yes."  
  
Richie shrugged. "That's what we do. I guess you triggered a reflex."  
  
"That's one hell of a defensive reflex you've got: Distract the enemy long enough for the other to get away, divide their emotions, confuse them into submission."  
  
"It works, doesn't it?"  
  
"You seem like you've had a lot of practice."  
  
"Enough."  
  
"I bet it didn't help that I was angry to begin with."  
  
Richie snorted. "It didn't help you. It made our job that much easier."  
  
"That hasn't happened again, has it?"  
  
"What?" Richie asked looking at Duncan. "Oh, that. It's almost happened once, almost. I was older then, bigger, not so freaked out by the whole idea. So I, you know, fought back, kicked some ass. I doubt he ever tried again, I think I might have made a convert out of the guy. His face when I. . . well, let's just say it wasn't quit the experience he was looking for, but he won't soon forget it."  
  
"Him?"  
  
"Oh, well once, that time." Richie said quietly.  
  
"The first time, it wasn't a man was it?"  
  
Richie looked back out the window. "No."  
  
"It explains a lot about you." Duncan said almost to himself.  
  
"What?"  
  
"The way you always jump in to protect people, it makes more sense now. There was nobody there for. . ."  
  
"Aw, Mac, save the physiology stuff, would ya? I know the whole 'you are a product of your environment' shpeel. I've heard it a million times." They lapsed back into silence for a minute.  
  
"So were you both living with the same family when it happened?" Duncan asked.  
  
"Yup." He answered. "It's when we started sleeping together. That didn't come out right, but you know what I mean."  
  
"Then it happened in the middle of the night?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"And if you slept in the same bed they couldn't wake up one of you without waking up the other."  
  
"Yup. It's easier to shut up one kid at a time. After that it became habit, more comfortable, more natural."  
  
"But I thought Tessa said you watched."  
  
"We did, but you don't make a lot of noise when you're barely conscience." Duncan almost couldn't hear Richie's response over the traffic.  
  
"No, I guess you wouldn't."  
  
"You mind if we change the subject? Not that I'm not loving all the attention, but I could really do without it."  
  
"This isn't the type of thing you can just ignore, Richie."  
  
"It seemed to work before." He said starting to get defensive.  
  
"Okay, what do you want to talk about, then?" Duncan asked.  
  
Richie thought for a moment. "What happened at the police station?"  
  
"I'll let Rylan fill you in on the details. But long story short, I hope you don't mind sharing for a little while, she's staying with us until the trial."  
  
Richie looked back over at Duncan. "How long is that going to be?"  
  
He shrugged, "I'm not sure, a week maybe. I assume that's okay with you."  
  
"Yeah, it's fine with me." Richie smiled genuinely at Duncan for the first time in days. "More then fine. I like having her around again. And I assume that's what she meant when she said she didn't have a choice about sticking around?"  
  
Duncan nodded. "How did you guys meet? If you don't mind me asking."  
  
"Uh, I think it was the Johnson's. I was six, she was four. It was my first experience with the whole foster home deal. And as pathetic as it sounds she was a pro with the system. We got along great. We had a really strong bond, even at that age. She kind of showed me the ropes. And back then the age difference wasn't a big deal so we stuck together. Then when we were old enough for the age thing to mean anything we were too close for it to matter."  
  
"You get along great, huh?" Duncan chuckled.  
  
"Yeah, you wouldn't know from what you've seen. But we really do thought. She's really deep, a writer to the core. But if you catch her in the right mood, she acts like she's ten. The prefect balance for someone like me."  
  
"Someone like you?"  
  
"You know, always goofing around and cracking jokes, with minor bursts of serious when the mood strikes." Richie explained, starting to sound more like himself.  
  
"What type of things does she do?"  
  
" She writes. . .gets into trouble, a lot. She's on a first name basis with a lot of the SPD."  
  
"So I noticed. Everyone seemed to know her down there." Duncan smiled.  
  
"That sounds about right." Richie commented glad Duncan had begun to loosen up. "She used to take kick-boxing lessons, she loves to jog and work out, you two should actual get along pretty well."  
  
"I'll take your word for it."  
  
. . . . . .  
  
Dinner was mostly quiet with the exception of a few requests for the pepper or rice. Richie and Rylan looked mostly at their plates, but stole a glance at each other every few minutes. Tessa sounded as if she were about to cry every time she tried to say something, and Duncan curiously eyed the interaction between the teens.  
  
"Does anyone want dessert?" He asked once everyone had resorted to pushing his or her food around with their chopsticks.  
  
"Of course." Richie replied getting up and gathering plates.  
  
"I'll help." Rylan got up, grabbed the rest of the dishes, and followed him to the sink. "Dessert?" She asked nudging him in the ribs. "How very 'Leave it to Beaver'."  
  
"You'll get used to it." He nudged her back. She let out a small yelp. "Oh! Sorry."  
  
"You'd better be. I know where you live. So what's for. . . what did you call it?" She smiled massaging the sore spot.  
  
"Dessert." Duncan said from behind them. "It's the optional final course to a meal usually consisting of something sweet."  
  
"Like chocolate cake." Richie finished watching Tessa place one on the table.  
  
"Oh, I like this. . .dessert thing." Rylan sat back down at the table. 


	7. Possible Solutions

Tessa listened as Richie tried to explain synthetic division to Rylan.  
  
"You have to have a number for every exponent, even if there isn't one in the problem."  
  
"Huh?" Rylan stared at her Pre-Cal book.  
  
"Like this," he took her pencil and a piece of paper "take number nine. There's and 'x' to the fourth, 'x' cubed, and 'x', but there's no 'x' squared. But you have to leave room for one; zero 'x' squared is the same as zero, so you put that here. Get it?"  
  
"Yeah." She smiled. "Go figure."  
  
"Good. Okay, so then you have to . . ." he continued to work the problem as Rylan watched on.  
  
Duncan snuck up behind Tessa and put his arms around her. "Hello, you." He purred in her ear.  
  
"Hello yourself." She turned and kissed him. "How did it go at the lawyer's?"  
  
Duncan took a deep breath, "We have Rylan for another week."  
  
"It's going to take that long?"  
  
"They have to get enough proof to build a case." He explained.  
  
"What is there to get? It's been a week and a half and she's still purple all over. What else do they need?"  
  
"Hard facts, it's still her word against his."  
  
"Our word." Tessa corrected.  
  
"Her word." Duncan insisted. "All we can say is what she told us."  
  
  
  
"I don't get it!" Rylan proclaimed loudly from the kitchen table.  
  
"Yeah, you do, Ry. Where did I lose you?" Richie asked calmly.  
  
"Upper and lower bounds."  
  
"If the sign stays the same, it's upper. If the sign changes, it's lower."  
  
"Why didn't you say that the first time?"  
  
"I did."  
  
"Nuh-huh. You said something about Decarte's Rule of blah blah blah."  
  
Richie laughed and pointed at her book. "Look up the translation for blah blah blah."  
  
  
  
"What are they doing?" Duncan asked Tessa.  
  
"Richie's helping Rylan with her math."  
  
"Since when can he do math?"  
  
"I heard that." Richie said twisting in his chair to face them. "And I'll have you know I'm very good at math."  
  
"Oh, really?"  
  
"Yeah, really."  
  
Rylan turned around grateful for the distraction. "What's up?" She asked happily.  
  
"Nothing that can't wait until you find a good stopping place." Duncan answered.  
  
"Oh look at that, I found one!" She closed her book.  
  
"You were in the middle of a problem." Richie protested sliding the book closer to her.  
  
"Any place is a good stopping place as far as math is concerned." Rylan said pushing the book away.  
  
"And you wonder why your grades suck."  
  
"It's just math." She defended. "And I don't wonder, I know. And besides, look who's talking."  
  
"I wasn't that bad." Richie said grinning.  
  
"Whatever, what was graduating GPA?"  
  
Richie's grin faded. "I fold."  
  
"Are you two done yet?" Duncan asked with a smile.  
  
"Yes." They answered in unison.  
  
"So what's the deal?" Rylan asked.  
  
"We have another week." Duncan started. "The only thing you need to think about is what happens to you once the trial is over."  
  
"What do you mean, what happens to her?" Richie asked.  
  
"Well, most likely you'll be placed in another foster home." Duncan explained watching Rylan's reaction. "But, if we play our cards right we might be able to get emancipation."  
  
"Seriously? You think anyone would go for it?" Rylan asked.  
  
"You're almost seventeen and you're graduating in a year." Richie offered.  
  
"Yeah, a year." She thought a moment. "I don't know, as intriguing as being on my own sounds, I honestly don't think I can pull it off. I mean, there's a lot I would have to do. . ." She trailed off and stared at the table.  
  
"Before you go any further," Tessa interrupted "Duncan and I have been talking, and we think we might have a solution." Rylan looked up. "Our first thought was to just adopt you. But we weren't sure if you would like the idea."  
  
"Adopt?" Rylan sputtered.  
  
"Yes, then we realized that we've been involved in too many police reports for any sane judge to let us." Duncan answered. "So then we thought of petitioning for temporary custody. But we ran into the same problem. So our solution is to push for making you and emancipated minor, then you can stay with us and nobody can stop you."  
  
"Here? All four of us?" She said disbelievingly. "You really want me to stay?"  
  
"Of course." Tessa assured her.  
  
Richie smiled. "I told you she wasn't letting you go anywhere. So what do you say?"  
  
"Um, I don't know. Can I think about it?"  
  
"What's there to think about? Ry, come on, just say yes."  
  
"Don't listen to Richie." Duncan said. "Think about it all you want, but you only have until the trial. Once the judge makes a decision that's it."  
  
"Okay." Rylan nodded.  
  
"And as for the trial. It will be an informal, private, closed hearing."  
  
"What does that mean?" She asked.  
  
"It means that the only people that will be there will be the judge, you, and us. George Douglas will have his own time with the judge before us. And before him the lawyers argue their cases."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"And it most likely won't be in a court room, probably just everyone sitting at a table. The judge will ask everyone questions and then make his decision."  
  
"Okay." Rylan slowly took it all in. "So you guys will be there?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Good." 


	8. The Hearing

Rylan held tightly onto Richie's hand as the judge asked her to tell what happened the night she ran away. Richie watched her closely as she told the story. He could see the tears welling up in her eyes as she sorted through the details and re-lived the memory. He wanted to tell the judge to leave her alone, but he knew that the less he said, the faster the hearing would go, and the sooner she would move in permanently. So he sat quietly and held her hand.  
  
"Where did the bruise on your upper left arm come from?" Judge Baker asked.  
  
"It got slammed in the door." She answered.  
  
"How?"  
  
"As I was leaving I pulled the door open really hard. I'm not quite sure how it happened, but somehow he grabbed my wrist and kept my arm in the apartment and I got the rest of my body into the hall. I pulled the door open so hard it bounced off the wall and closed on my arm."  
  
"So that wasn't Mr. Douglas' fault?"  
  
"He didn't physically close the door on me, no."  
  
"You said you were leaving, where did you go?"  
  
"To Duncan and Tessa's."  
  
"And why did you want to go there?"  
  
"That's where Richie lives."  
  
"Richie." The judge repeated looking down at his file. "Oh, yes. Richard Ryan, age eight-teen. The other minor involved in the '87 case. Is that you?" He looked up at Richie.  
  
"Yes, sir." He answered.  
  
"Ms. Fisher, why did you want to go see Mr. Ryan?"  
  
"He told I could if I needed to."  
  
"When did he tell you that?"  
  
"When he saw the bruises on my arm."  
  
"The one's from a previous attack?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"So what happened on January 13 was not an isolated incident."  
  
"No, sir."  
  
"I see." He made a note in the file. "How long had you been in the care of Mr. Douglas?"  
  
"Almost two months."  
  
"And how many times did he beat you, before the thirteenth?"  
  
"Before?" She thought for a moment. Richie patted her hand. "Three times."  
  
"Was there any attempt at a sexual assault?"  
  
"No." She answered quickly.  
  
"So this has no correlation with the other case."  
  
"No, sir."  
  
"Mr. Ryan, how long have you known Ms. Fisher?"  
  
Richie looked away from Rylan and at the judge. "Twelve years."  
  
"So you had known her for seven years when you were molested."  
  
"Yes, but I don't see what that has to do with anything."  
  
"I'm just trying to understand your relationship." Judge Baker explained. "I understand you are the one who told Ms. Noel of what had happened."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Why didn't you say something earlier, when you first saw the bruises?"  
  
"Rylan said she could handle it."  
  
"Is it true that you were abused in one of your homes?"  
  
Richie swallowed. "Yes, sir."  
  
"But you still didn't say anything."  
  
"No, I didn't. Not until it got out of hand."  
  
"Wouldn't you say it was out of hand once it started?" Richie set his jaw and didn't respond. "Mr. Ryan, how long have you lived with Mr. MacLeod and Ms. Noel?"  
  
"A little less than five months."  
  
"And how long have you known them?"  
  
"A little less than five months." Richie repeated.  
  
"How did you meet them?"  
  
Richie shifted in his seat. "I broke into their store."  
  
"You broke into their store and then moved in with them."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Interesting. Would you describe your living situation as good environment?"  
  
"Definitely." Richie answered.  
  
"Mr. MacLeod, you are the one who actually filed the report, correct?"  
  
Duncan sat up in his chair. "Yes."  
  
"And how did you find out about the incident?"  
  
"Rylan told me."  
  
"When did she tell you?"  
  
"On the way to the police station."  
  
"Then how did you know to take her there?"  
  
"Tessa and I had become suspicious. I was down stairs talking to Rylan while Tessa was upstairs with Richie. When we all got together I found out enough to know I had to do something. Rylan gave me the details on the way." He explained.  
  
"Had you known about Ms. Fisher and Mr. Ryan's pasts when you first learned of this?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Is this the first you've heard of their other problems?"  
  
"No. I've found out a lot about both of them since Rylan began staying with us."  
  
"Ms. Noel, why did you and Mr. MacLeod allow Mr. Ryan to move in with you?"  
  
"Because we felt he needed a second chance to build a good future for himself." Tessa answered holding onto Duncan's hand.  
  
"And I see that you have filed an interest in adopting Ms. Fisher. Do you feel she needs a second chance as well?"  
  
"Yes, and she and Richie should be together, they deserve at least part of a normal life."  
  
"Alright. I believe I've heard enough." Judge Baker said gathering his papers. "If you'll excuse me, I'll go over my notes and make my decision." He stood up and left the room.  
  
"Now what?" Richie asked once the door closed.  
  
"Now we wait." Duncan answered. 


	9. The Verdict

"That wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be." Rylan commented absentmindedly. "It went kinda fast. It's actually never gone that fast before, for anything. That could be good. . . or bad." A slight twinge of panic surfaced in her voice. "What if that's bad? Should it have gone so fast? It was only like thirty minutes. Usually it takes that long to get through the formalities, sometimes longer. What if- - -"  
  
"Ry, calm down. Everything went fine." Richie said, not so sure himself.  
  
"I've just never been so nervous before in my life." She stood up. "Think about it, I'm waiting for some man I've never met before to decide my future for me. Whatever he says goes, that's it, end of story, period. I get no say." She started pacing the small room.  
  
"Ry, calm down." Richie repeated.  
  
"I'm sure everything will turn out for the best." Tessa assured her.  
  
"Like I've never heard that before." She mumbled.  
  
"You have to be positive, self-fulfilling prophesy." Richie said trying to calm her. The more nervous she got the more nervous he got.  
  
She turned to him. "Is that how you did it?"  
  
"Yup, and look at me now." He held out his arms with a wide grin.  
  
"You're such a nerd." She laughed. The simple sound broke all the tension in the room.  
  
"Maybe, but you gotta love me." He returned.  
  
"I'll check the rule book and get back to you on that."  
  
"You're right," Duncan whispered to Tessa. "they do deserve to be together, nobody else could handle them."  
  
"He's so different around her." Tessa commented watching Richie and Rylan banter back and forth.  
  
"He's more comfortable around her. I've be wondering when he would be comfortable enough around us to be himself."  
  
"I have too. We worked so hard to get his to trust us and open up. And the whole time the answer was right under our noses."  
  
"And in his bed." Duncan added. Tessa stifled a giggle.  
  
"What are you laughing about?" Richie demanded.  
  
"Nothing." Duncan answered with a smile.  
  
"So in other words, you were talking about us?"  
  
"Yes." Tessa answered.  
  
"At least they're honest." Rylan said to Richie.  
  
"We're hoping it might rub off on you." Duncan retorted.  
  
"Hey, I'm honest. . . most of the time."  
  
"You forget, I've seen you record."  
  
"You've only known me a couple of weeks, there's no way you've read the whole thing."  
  
"I've had a lot of sleepless nights."  
  
. . . . . .  
  
Richie squeezed Rylan's hand. "This is it." He whispered.  
  
Judge Baker cleared his throat. "I must admit, I very rarely have so much to consider in a single case. And I can honestly say I have never seen two people so determined to gain custody of someone they barely know. But I have reviewed everything and made my decisions." Duncan patted Rylan's knee and smiled at her. "First I have determined Mr. Douglas to be at fault for the majority of the injuries Ms. Fisher sustained on January 13. And he will be sentenced accordingly after a formal trial for which Ms. Fisher will have to be present. That's the good news." He paused. "I'm afraid I don't feel Ms. Fisher has the capability to both finish school and support herself, so I can not grant the petition for emancipation from the state. And as much as you seem to want it I can not let two un-married people adopt. There is a law preventing it. But, after reviewing both Ms. Fisher and Mr. Ryan's records I couldn't help but notice the change that came over both of them while in your care. The positive effect of your guidance is evident even in the short while Ms. Fisher has been with you. It is even more evident with Mr. Ryan, whom I have seen on multiple occasions over the years." He looked at Richie over the rim of his glasses.  
  
"I thought you looked familiar." Richie said sheepishly.  
  
"So, I have decided to grant temporary custody of Ms. Rylan Fisher to whomever wishes to sign. So if one of you will just volunteer, you can sign a few papers and go home." He finished with a smile.  
  
"I'll do it!" Tessa immediately answered. "That is, if it's okay with you." She added. Rylan opened her mouth, but all that came out was a surprised laugh followed by a small squeak.  
  
"That's Rylan for 'of course it's okay with me'." Richie translated.  
  
"Yeah," Rylan nodded "what he said."  
  
"Ms. Noel, if you'll just come with me, we'll get all the legal stuff out of the way." The judge led Tessa into the back office.  
  
. . . . . .  
  
Richie and Rylan followed Duncan and Tessa toward the car.  
  
"I don't know who's more excited, you or Tessa." Richie commented. Rylan stopped and looked at him. "What?" He asked. She threw her arms around his neck and gave him a peck on the cheek. Richie blushed and looked down at her. "What was that for?"  
  
"I never got the chance to thank you properly." She answered, blushing herself once she realized Duncan and Tessa were watching them.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For breaking the rules. What I owe you is so close to my life it's scary. But I owe you, big."  
  
"Hopefully you won't get the chance to pay me back." Richie said hugging her. "But I'd do it again in a heart beat. You mean too much." He whispered in her ear. She smiled a sauntered to the car with an exaggerated swing in her hips. Richie followed behind with a grin shaking his head. Before he could climb into the back seat Duncan stopped him.  
  
"Richie, what was she talking about?" He asked.  
  
"The rules." Richie answered. "It takes five minutes to learn them, but it takes a lot longer to forget them. And even longer to realize that the only way to help is to break rule number one."  
  
"What's rule number one?"  
  
"Never tell." A smile slowly appeared on Richie's face. "But hey, you know me, I've never been into following the rules. This is just the first time the consequence was positive. . . What a conundrum." He added just loud enough for Duncan to hear as he settled next to Rylan.  
  
"Did you just say the positive consequence was a conundrum?" Duncan asked confusedly.  
  
Richie laughed. "The more you buy into stereotypes the more confused I'll make you. Just be patient, I'll make sense to you eventually."  
  
  
  
The End.  
  
Coming soon to a computer near you "The Dangers of Holy Ground". 


End file.
